Faults:

As a US import that had sat in a barn in S Dakota for 5 years, I had a lot to do.

First was to fix the indicators to be ‘off’ when riding.

Speedo cable was damaged, cheap eBay replacement.

The tank was full of rust and ‘stuff’; took a while to clean out. Carbs were full of the same; cleaning the float and jets did the trick.

2x new tyres.

And at the end I had to get it registered in the UK, which was fun!!

General Comments:

This is a great cruiser and a very reliable and safe bike. Parts are a bit expensive, as this model wasn’t released in the UK, so parts are rare. Drives very nicely and is very comfortable (I’m 6ft and 220 lbs). Took it on a 90 mile run on the motorway; ran great at 70. It’s also a very easy bike to work on, no really tricky elements and a good bike to learn with. I just love cruisers...

Faults:

Nothing... it runs and starts, and needs the usual bike maintenance expected of any bike.

The only notable problem was that the starter switch headlight off thing was a bit sticky when I first got it. It is a little switch that turns off the headlight when starting, and I would start up and no headlight. At the time... all it needed was a little knock to engage/disengage the micro switch. Since then I've lubed the electronics and it works fine.

The bike is surprisingly reliable with no glitches of any sort. Yes... I've done the required work to keep it operating properly... but the thing just goes with no surprises.

This model is a bit older, but any parts are available. It's simple to work on and easy on the wallet.

The riding position is quite relaxed. I am 5'11" and I can get by OK. but if you are smaller it would help.

General Comments:

It's a nice bike. As long as you ride within its limits and don't expect to go too fast or far, it's perfect. The ideal ride for this bike is around town... to work... do errands... go shopping. The riding position is cruiser style... which means interstate travel is going to get tiresome. Some folks add a screen which might help a bit with this, but generally the bike is best at lower speeds. It tracks good in corners and the E model does fine with the drum brake. But... with that said... drum brakes don't operate at their best when wet. The bike does OK, and if you are an experienced rider... no problem. But the brake does get grabby when wet... a surprise if you are not used to it.

The gearing is a bit tall for hilly terrain, so I opted for the 17/35 combo vs 17/34 stock. It just allows the motor to spin a bit more and take the burden off the hills. Downside: a bit of a loss of MPG. The upside to this is that 6th (overdrive) is a bit more useful from the +48mph side. 4th gear is now more suitable for the uphill climbs at about 38-40mph.

This bike is a great utility rider... light and reasonably fast. I would not ride double on this bike; with the short wheelbase it throws off the balance greatly. Ridden solo... it has all the fun a bike should have.

It is a nice style of ride... but if you want something sporty then buy that kind of bike. This is a basic motorcycle meant to be ridden in grandad fashion.

Faults:

Nothing yet!!

Readjusted the choke and replaced a signal bulb when I bought it.

General Comments:

This wasn't my first choice of rides but it was in near mint condition and the price was right ($1200 CAD).

After the first month of riding it, I became quite fond of the thing. It runs like clockwork with very little vibration and is really responsive. I'm only 5'9" and 140lbs (which is probably the perfect body type for this bike) and it feels pretty natural.

Despite its small appearance, it has a lot of pep!

It's light enough (400lbs dry) and powerful enough (47HP) to rip around the dirt and woods and still be good in the city.

Not powerful enough for the highway though. Traveling at 120km/h is about MAX comfortable speed on a calm no wind day.

UPDATE:

Turned it into a brat/street tracker and it rips through traffic. Commuting is a blast. Weaving through lanes and traffic is so smooth. Love this bike. Need something bigger for long highway trips though.

This bike still has a ton of potential.